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Robbie Lee Shipman Stephenson, age 89 of Monticello, passed away Monday, February 27, 2017 at Drew Memorial Hospital in Monticello. She was born on August 11, 1927 south of Lacey, AR to the late Leo Claude and Ruby Merle Whitehead Shipman. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband Doyle Stephenson and her brother, John Will Shipman.
She grew up at Prairie Chapel and graduated from Drew Central High School at the age of 16 and attended Arkansas A&M College. She taught at Fountain Hill High School, where some of her students were her age. Robbie Lee married Doyle Robert Stephenson June 8, 1946 and honeymooned at the Ridgeway Hotel.
They moved to Little Rock, Jackson, TN, Memphis and Pine Bluff (Doyle’s job with Singer Co.) before returning “home” to Monticello in 1998. She worked at Crow-Burlingame in Little Rock as a personal secretary, and secretary to Vice Principal at Dollarway High School for 30 years.
She loved mission work and she loved to “go”; serving in Haiti, McCurdy School in New Mexico, Sager-Brown Depot, and UMW School of Missions, each several times. She served on the Drew Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for several years, and was very active in United Methodist Women most of her life. Between mission trips, she enjoyed traveling with her friends and family to Europe, Australia, Hawaii, Canada, the Caribbean, New York, Chicago and Las Vegas. She was a member of the PEO of Monticello and ABWA of Pine Bluff.
Robbie was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her family. Survivors include three sons, Mike (Dalene) Stephenson of Monticello, Bob (Carol) Stephenson of El Dorado and Robin Stephenson of Fayetteville; one daughter, Susan Pemberton of Fayetteville; grandchildren, Casey Stephenson (Sarah), Carrie Gray (Stephen), Flaura Jaden and Penny Pemberton, Nina Rose Stephenson; great-grandchildren, Sawyer and Claire Gray, Bennett and Alice Stephenson; her brothers, Paul Douglas Shipman (Melba) of Como, MS; sister-in-law’s, Wanda Shipman of Little Rock, Audrey Stephenson of Crossett and Dorothy Jones of Greenbrier; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 3, 2017 at Stephenson-Dearman Chapel with Rev. Dennis Spence and Rev. Keith Dodson officiating. Burial will be in Lacey Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until 1:30 p.m. prior to the service. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 317 South Main, Monticello, AR 71655 or First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 201 South Hill, El Dorado, AR 71730 or Lacey Cemetery Association, c/o Roy Alan White, 671 Hwy 133, Fountain Hill, AR 71642. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.
She grew up at Prairie Chapel and graduated from Drew Central High School at the age of 16 and attended Arkansas A&M College. She taught at Fountain Hill High School, where some of her students were her age. Robbie Lee married Doyle Robert Stephenson June 8, 1946 and honeymooned at the Ridgeway Hotel.
They moved to Little Rock, Jackson, TN, Memphis and Pine Bluff (Doyle’s job with Singer Co.) before returning “home” to Monticello in 1998. She worked at Crow-Burlingame in Little Rock as a personal secretary, and secretary to Vice Principal at Dollarway High School for 30 years.
She loved mission work and she loved to “go”; serving in Haiti, McCurdy School in New Mexico, Sager-Brown Depot, and UMW School of Missions, each several times. She served on the Drew Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for several years, and was very active in United Methodist Women most of her life. Between mission trips, she enjoyed traveling with her friends and family to Europe, Australia, Hawaii, Canada, the Caribbean, New York, Chicago and Las Vegas. She was a member of the PEO of Monticello and ABWA of Pine Bluff.
Robbie was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her family. Survivors include three sons, Mike (Dalene) Stephenson of Monticello, Bob (Carol) Stephenson of El Dorado and Robin Stephenson of Fayetteville; one daughter, Susan Pemberton of Fayetteville; grandchildren, Casey Stephenson (Sarah), Carrie Gray (Stephen), Flaura Jaden and Penny Pemberton, Nina Rose Stephenson; great-grandchildren, Sawyer and Claire Gray, Bennett and Alice Stephenson; her brothers, Paul Douglas Shipman (Melba) of Como, MS; sister-in-law’s, Wanda Shipman of Little Rock, Audrey Stephenson of Crossett and Dorothy Jones of Greenbrier; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 3, 2017 at Stephenson-Dearman Chapel with Rev. Dennis Spence and Rev. Keith Dodson officiating. Burial will be in Lacey Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until 1:30 p.m. prior to the service. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 317 South Main, Monticello, AR 71655 or First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 201 South Hill, El Dorado, AR 71730 or Lacey Cemetery Association, c/o Roy Alan White, 671 Hwy 133, Fountain Hill, AR 71642. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.